Homemade Heating Pad

Introduction: Homemade Heating Pad

Make your own heating pad at home in two minutes!

I often strain my neck after staring at a computer for many hours. A couple weeks ago I strained my neck really bad and couldn't go into work for a couple days. Jason gave me the idea to make an at home heating pad.

Step 1: Materials

1 Pair of Socks (make sure there are no synthetic materials in socks!)
1 1/2 cups of Rice

Step 2: Making the Heating Pad

Pour rice into one of the socks.
Tie a knot at the top of the sock.
Put the sock with the rice in the other sock, knot side first.
Tie end of outside sock.

Step 3: Using the Heating Pad

Put the heating pad in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Makes sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't smoke.

You will be surprised how long It will retain the heat.

Place under your neck and lay down. Don't watch t.v., use your computer, or do anything that will strain your neck while using the heating pad.

Comments

This works great for arthritis. You can also use a slightly damp wash clothe under it so it becomes a "wet heat" for deeper penetration which my dr. Recommended as more therapeutic. Just be careful as not to burn yourself which you can easily do with wet heat.

I heat the rice in a small measuring bowl I have with a spout. You can use a bowl or cup also. I use a fuzzy long sock and pour it in. That way i don't have to worry about a fire. Works great. If you want you can pour essential oils on the rice after heated. I use lavender for ear infections. Im not sure why it unclogs my ear but it does. I read it online. Tried it and it worked. We did it once to heal a poisonous spider bite also.

Thank you so much you are truly a lifesaver! I have a really bad abscess the only thing that seems to help is heat unfortunately I don't have an extension cord for my heating pad. I found this and tried it and it works wonders thank you so much.

Important thing: don't do this with arborio rice. Any moisture in the sock, it will absorb. I don't think it's too dangerous (I mean it smells ricey but hey), but your sock does, uh, expand... a little

Excellent post, but does need some more instructions for safety. I've been using rice 'Hot Socks' for about 8 years now. So here's some VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

1. ONLY USE COTTON OR WOOL BLEND SOCKS & MATERIALS (I've found 80% cotton or more is usually safe. Wool will likely shrink, but is less flammable. You can shrink it first deliberately with a hot water wash and/or hot dryer for drying): Cotton athletic socks are often excellent. Be very cautious of socks or materials that feel thin and stretchy! They are usually not suitable. NEVER USE ANY SOCK OR MATERIAL WITH METALLIC THREAD! I recommend only white or light colored socks also, as dark colors can heat the material faster than the rice.

2. USE ONLY PLAIN, DRIED, WHITE RICE (DO NOT INSTANT OR QUICK-COOKING). You can also use dried beans, flaxseed, barley & whole corn kernels.

3. FOR FIRST HEAT, START WITH A 10-30 SECOND WATCHED TEST (instructions below) & NEVER HEAT A SINGLE SOCK MORE THAN 2 MINS: Remember: just like a conventional oven, a microwave oven can set any flammable material on fire! Also, some microwaves can be inclined to overheat some materials (I've watched one of a set of 'microwave safe' plastic lids melt in a minute in a small, cheap, microwave oven, but that's never happened to the rest of the set in my high-powered microwave oven. So you never know!).

10-30 SECOND WATCHED TEST:

A) Heat for 10 seconds. Watch for sparks, smoking or burning (TURN MICROWAVE OFF IMMEDIATELY IF THERE IS ANY SIGN OF SPARKS, SMOKING OR BURNING AND DISCARD THE SOCK. So long as the rice isn't burnt, you can save and try the rice in a different sock). If no bad signs, touch carefully & cautiously take out and handle. If it looks fine and still feel pretty cool (slightly warm is okay, but SCORCHING OR HOT AT 10 SECONDS MEANS IT WILL BURN OR EXPLODE and your sock material, or microwave, is NOT SUITABLE for this), you can continue the test.

B) Continue to heat for another 10 seconds, and watch it as above. Then check it again as before. It will be slightly warmer now, and that is okay, but stop test immediately if there are sparks, smoking, burning or it is very hot already.

C) Test for another 10 seconds as above. Sock can be warm now, but should not be very hot. As before, any sign of sparks, smoking or burning is bad and you should stop microwave immediately.

D) If all went well, LET THE SOCK COOL FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS, then try a 30 second test. This should warm the sock, but it should not be scorching hot, and as before stop the microwave and discard of the sock at any sign of sparking, smoking or burning! This should not happen with cotton for up to 2mins, but it's better to be safe than sorry!

E) Again LET THE SOCK COOL for at least 2 hours, Now you're ready to try 1 minute. Watch the sock heating as before. Stop the microwave and discard of sock at any sign of sparks, smoking or burning. Your sock should be pretty warm if not hot now. If it didn't burn it should be safe to heat for up to 2 minutes in future.

HINT: Once you have the temperature right for you, write down the minutes and stick it on the fridge for future reference (especially helpful if someone else is heating your sock for you).

OTHER HINTS & WARNINGS:

**USE A CLEAN MICROWAVE ONLY. Fabric & foodstuffs could cause a serious fire risk or even an explosion.

**ONLY USE CLEAN, LAUNDERED SOCKS/MATERIAL AND DO NOT USE ANY SOCK OR MATERIAL THAT HAS COME INTO CONTACT WITH FLAMMABLE CHEMICALS OR OILS, such as paint, paint thinners, mechanical oils, fuels, sprays, kerosene etc. Even if it is clean, it could still be a fire risk and very likely to cause an explosion (if you're not sure, then don't use the sock).

**Tie sock off with a knot in sock or sew iit with cotton thread. DO NOT use another material such as a twist tie! Twist ties are made with metal & plastic ties melt.

**Be cautious about what you add to your sock. Oils and fragrances can increase fire risk and some plant materials are very flammable also. If you're trying essential oils, be cautious to get a good quality oil and use only a few drops. Avoid anything that says 'fragrance', Fragrances can have flammable chemicals. DON'T EVER SPRAY PERFUME ON SOCK OR RICE. Always run the 10-30 second test after adding an essential oil.

**A second sock (or cover made for it) on top of rice holding sock is useful for keeping your hot sock clean, and is more easily laundered and replaced when the material is eventually browned (from light scorching) or grubby.

**Replace sock when it is brown from scorching. Scorched material is a higher fire risk.

literally almost burnt my house down, exploded everywhere, smells like smoke and fire, almost caught on fire, my microwave is black from the BLACK rice, burnt my finger trying to put it under cold water, NEVER DO THIS

if there was any synthetic material (rayon, for instance) in your socks, it could have melted and started on fire. I've never had a problem with my homemade rice bag catching on fire, and I've used it for years!

Thanks so much! I just moved into a new apartment sans heating pad and forgot to pick one up at the store. This was so helpful for my cramps! 2 minutes was plenty for my low-wattage microwave.

However, just as a warning, mine steamed when I put it in the microwave - so make sure you're not right next to your smoke detector! It might have been the sock was damp or the rice had gotten damp after spending a few months in my cupboard.

i hurt my shoulder last year i cheerleading and this feels great on it. it probably inst going to heal but it feels a little better. and btw. i didnt want to cheerlead...ever but my mom made me. GREAT POST!!!!!! THANKS!!!!

I love making these for gifts. The sock thing is great adhoc solution but I sew rectangular shaped ones out of just basic cotton broadcloth (cut up flat sheets from the clearance rack work great). I sew channels every few inches to keep the rice from bunching up on one side.

Then I make decorative covers out of flannel using a sham closure so they are easily removed for washing. I usually embroider the recipient's name on the edge of the closure. Here's a sham closure for anyone who is interested: